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NSPS Survey Technician Certification Program

CST Program Overview. NSPS Survey Technician Certification Program. A career path:. Certification is a short term attainable goal. STCB Mission. To promote and recognize the importance of technicians to the surveying and mapping profession.

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NSPS Survey Technician Certification Program

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  1. CST Program Overview NSPS Survey Technician Certification Program

  2. A career path: Certification is a short term attainable goal.

  3. STCB Mission • To promote and recognize the importance of technicians to the surveying and mapping profession. • To encourage and support the development of competent technicians.

  4. Approximately 500 CST exams are administered yearly There are over 1700 active CSTs

  5. History of the CST Program

  6. Goals of the Certification Program • Recognize the important contribution that technicians provide to the surveying and mapping profession. • Provide credentials to technicians.

  7. Goals of the Certification Program • Identify those technicians who have achieved specific technical competencies. • Provide a career ladder for technicians.

  8. Goals of the Certification Program • Provide employers with a way to evaluate applicants and an opportunity to promote the quality of their technical staff.

  9. CERTIFICATION • Gives important and needed recognition to survey technicians; those who we trust with our license, our reputation and our daily well being and peace of mind.

  10. Legal Aspects • Certification does not license individuals to practice surveying. Professional surveying licensing is regulated by individual state boards of registration. • This certification program is sponsored by NSPS and should not be confused with any other certification program.

  11. Seals and Stamps • No official seal or stamp for the CST Program • No legal standing • Appropriate recognition: • Signature • CST level • CST certificate number • Ex. Susan S. Smith, CST Computer II (0588-1234) • Any improper use will result in revocation of certification and inability to continue in the CST Program

  12. Sample Business Card

  13. Some Uses of the Program • Recognized by the U.S. Department of Labor as a part of the National Apprenticeship Program. • Registered state apprenticeship program in our area of the profession by private industry or state society. • Validation/Assessment Exam by educational programs • Working with Military Credentialing Agencies to establish Memoranda of Agreements. Allows members of the military to prepare for civilian certifications prior to leaving the service.

  14. Who Uses the Program Public Entities: • Virginia State Board of Registration - FS exam • Maryland Society of Surveyors • Washington DC Metropolitan Area Transit Authority • City of Orlando, FL • City of Virginia Beach, VA • Arizona and Minnesota DOTs • Florida Surveying And Mapping Society, Tallahassee, FL • Michigan Society of Professional Surveyors Survey Technician Council • Texas Society of Professional Surveyors • Department of Public Works, Las Vegas, NV • New Hampshire Land Surveyors Association (pays 1/2 cost of exam if employer matches) • District of Columbia Association of Land Surveyors (1 yr of Associate Membership to those who pass)

  15. Who Uses the Program Private Entities: • Dewberry, LLC, Fairfax, VA • McKim & Creed, Wilmington, NC • Woolpert, Arlington, VA • Cherry Land Surveying, Nashville, TN • E & A Consulting, Omaha, NE • Miller Legg & Assoc., Pembroke Pines, FL • Tri-State Engineering, Joplin, MO • Clark Construction Company, Bethesda, MD • Vincennes University, Vincennes, IN • VIKA, Inc., Germantown, MD • Christopher Consultants, ltd, Fairfax, VA • Doucette Survey, Newmarket, N.H. • Charles P. Johnson & Associates, Inc., Silver Spring, MD • Stantec North America • Surveying and Mapping, Inc. TX

  16. Benefits for Technicians • Recognition by Peers and Employers • Personal Pride - Achieving Certification • Pay – CST’s make about 10% more • Better qualified peers makes your job easier • Career and Employment opportunities improve - “CST Preferred” and “CST Required” • Prepares you for other professional exams • CST Program compliments training • Skills will improve – making advancement possible • Certification improves image of survey technicians within the profession

  17. Benefits and Uses for Company • Sets a standard for your technical staff • Can be used as a hiring requirement • Can be used as a marketing tool - incorporated in your QA/QC Program • Can be used as a marking tool – “CST’s On Duty” • Can be used as a career ladder which creates a promotional tool within your firm or agency • Can be used in conjunction with training • Raises the bar and creates healthy competition • Better qualified staff – more production - more profit – you can pay your staff more – you can attract better staff – your job becomes easier • Better qualified staff – less mistakes – reputation improves – more business

  18. Exam Formats/Rules • All exams open book tests. • Bound books. No loose notes. • Level I, II and III are multiple choice exams. • Level IV is take home, open book, essay exam, similar to a college level term paper. • Exam formats: On-line or paper

  19. Exam Formats/Rules • No computers, laptops or keyboard style hand-held computers are allowed at the exams site. • Data collectors are not allowed. • See Calculator policy in Program Book.

  20. A General Note About the Examinations • The exam is a challenging timed test. You must be prepared to move purposefully through four to six hours of testing. • Study, review, and practice in the Work Element areas is important to prepare you for the questions and to be successful. • These tests require a fair amount of computations.

  21. Be prepared • Study, Study, Study • Research the Work Elements • Practice taking the sample exams and solve as many survey questions as you can • Get into testing shape • See “Setting up a CST Training Program” Power Point for more information

  22. Don’t forget to keep life in perspective

  23. Level I Exam • Entry level exam • No minimum experience required • The Level I exam has 200 questions • Four hours allowed for the completion of the exam • Exam budget 1.2 minutes per question or 50 questions per hour

  24. Level I Exam Work ElementsQuestions per Examination 1) Types of Surveys 10 2) Field Equipment & Instruments 41 3) Survey Computations 50 4) Control Points 6 5) Field Operations 21 6) Field Notes 5 7) Plan & Map Reading 17 8) First Aid and Safety 20 9) Drafting/CAD 17 10) Electronic Instruments 8 11) Survey History 5 TOTAL QUESTIONS 200

  25. Level II Exam • 3000 hours, or 1.5 years of surveying experience required (up to 750 hours can be education = 1 year full-time with a minimum of 12 credit hours per term - 24 credit hours) • 180 questions - multiple choice • Six hours allowed for the completion of the exam • Field Track Examination • Office Track Examination • Exam budget 2.0 minutes per question or 30 questions per hour

  26. Level II Exam Questions per Examination Work ElementsFieldOffice 1) Types of Surveys 10 10 2) Field Equipment & Instruments 35 15 3) Survey Computations 40 55 4) Control Points 10 10 5) Field Operations 35 10 6) Field Notes 10 10 7) Plan Reading & Preparation 15 45 8) First Aid and Safety 15 15 9) Principles of the Profession 1010 Total Questions 180 180

  27. Level III Exam • 7000 hours, or 3.5 years total of surveying experience required • Field Track: 3000 hours (1.5 years) Level II experience plus 4000 hours (2.0 years) as a party chief required • Office Track: 3000 hours (1.5 years) Level II experience plus 4000 hours (2.0 years) as a chief computer operator required (Up to 1750 hours can be education = 2.33 years, full-time with a minimum of 12 credit hours per term – 56 credit hours) • The Level III exam has 150 questions • Six hours allowed for the completion of the exam • Exam budget 2.4 minutes per question or 25 questions per hour

  28. Level III Exam Questions per Examination Field Field Office Work ElementsBoundaryConstructionComputer 1) Types of Surveys 7 7 7 2) Field Equipment & Instruments 34 34 11 3) Survey Computations 21 21 21 4) Control Points 8 8 8 5) Field Operations 22 Bdy 8 Bdy 8 8 Const. 22 Const. 6) Field Notes 7 7 7 7) Plan Reading and Preparation 8 8 30 8) First Aid and Safety 11 11 11 9) Principles of the Profession 7 7 7 10) Office Operations 7 7 30 11) Supervisory Skills 101010 TOTAL QUESTIONS 150 150 150

  29. CST LEVEL III

  30. Level IV Exam • Must hold a Level III certification to take the Level IV exam • 11,000 hours, or 5.5 years total of surveying experience required. • Field Track: 7000 hours (3.5 years) Level II & III experience plus 4000 hours (2.0 years) as a party chief required. • Office Track: 7000 hours (3.5 years) Level II & III experience plus 4000 hours (2.0 years) as a chief computer operator required. (Up to 2750 hours can be education = 3.66 years, full-time with a minimum of 12 credit hours per term – 88 credit hours)

  31. Level IV Exam • Two Questions • A Formal Technical Report • Two months to complete and return • Typed, complete with research and supporting documentation • Affidavit that the exam was completed by examinee

  32. Fees All Test LevelsExamination Fee Student/Military $120.00 Individual $180.00 Prices subject to change. Check www.nsps.us.com for updates

  33. Testing Locations/Dates • Currently tests are offered via special test sites across the country and online at arranged test sites with approved Proctors. • Tests are given four times a year in quarterly cycles. • It is also possible for college programs and professional organizations to arrange for special testing centers for groups. Special discounts apply to groups of 10 or more. See NSPS CST web site at www.nsps.us.comfor current online testing schedule.

  34. Examination Results • Graded in Four Cycles CycleTest Results Cycle 1 (J F M) end of May Cycle 2 (A M J) end of August Cycle 3 (J A S) end of October Cycle 4 (O N D) end of February Online results are given immediately at the completion of the exam

  35. Examination Results • Normal passing score 70% • After failure three times, proof of appropriate continuing education required prior to fourth attempt • Or you can step down one level and re-test

  36. Annual Renewal Fees • Annual Certification Renewal Fee $40.00 • Required for advancement in the CST Program • After three years of non-renewal, • you MUST re-test to become certified again

  37. For more information • NSPS SURVEY TECH • 5119 Pegasus Court, Suite QFrederick, MD 21704 • Or see NSPS CST web site at • http:\\www.nsps.us.com • Or call Sara Maggi at • 240-439-4615 x112 Fax: 240/439-4952 sara.maggi@nsps.us.com

  38. Survey TechnicianOrganization • Survey technicians seeking technical development through publications and educational opportunities may want to consider joining NSPS. NSPS also offers Educational programs, publications, and other member services. • Membership in NSPS is not required for certification.

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